14 Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Biles says ‘mental health’ concerns led to Olympic final withdrawal

TOKYO: Gymnastics superstar assessment to determine whether she can con- retain the all-around title, and had a realistic said “mental health” concerns had led to her tinue her Olympic campaign. chance of equaling Soviet gymnast Larisa withdrawal from the women’s team final at the “Simone has withdrawn from the team final Latynina’s record of nine Olympic gold medals. Olympics yesterday. “I have to do what’s competition due to a medical issue,” the state- Prior to the Olympics, Biles revealed she had right for me and focus on my mental health and ment to AFP said. “She will be assessed daily battled depression after revealing she was not jeopardize my health and my wellbeing,” to determine medical clearance for future com- among the hundreds of gymnasts who had the 24-year-old American said after her team petitions.” Biles spent the remainder of the been sexually abused by former Olympic team were beaten by the Russian quartet in her competition enthusiastically cheering on her doctor Larry Nassar, who is now serving a life absence. teammates who took silver with the bronze prison sentence for his crimes. Biles exited the final at the Ariake going to Britain, their first medal in the event In a recent multi-part documentary series Gymnastics Center after a lackluster opening since 1928. posted on Facebook, Biles also revealed she and walked off the competition She said she had had faith in her teammates had been bothered by a right ankle problem before returning a short time later. The US team Grace McCallum, and Sunisa this year after landing awkwardly during train- immediately withdrew her from the rest of the Lee. Biles has qualified for all finals available to ing in May. “Right now, what we’re dealing final. After she joined her teammates to collect her in Tokyo but her performance in prelimi- with is I just have a lot of fluid built up in their silver medals, four-time Olympic champion nary rounds on Sunday had been littered with there,” Biles said during the episode. “There’s Biles confirmed she had not been injured. She uncharacteristic mistakes. nothing we can do at this point. We don’t have said: “I just don’t trust myself as much as I used In a candid Instagram post on Monday the time for rest, we don’t have time for shots and to, and I don’t know if it’s age. I’m a little bit 24-year-old said she was feeling the pressure all of that stuff, so tape it is.” The US team, more nervous when I do gymnastics.” during Sunday’s qualifying. “I truly do feel like I clearly unbalanced by the drama surrounding “I feel like I’m also not having as much fun, have the weight of the world on my shoulders their talismanic leader rated by many as the TOKYO: USA’s Simone Biles gestures during the women’s and I know that this , I wanted at times,” Biles wrote. “I know I brush it off and greatest gymnast of all time, were foiled in team final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Ariake Gymnastics it to be for myself,” she said, as she began to make it seem like pressure doesn’t affect me but their bid for a third straight Olympic title after Center in Tokyo yesterday. —AFP cry. “It just sucks that it happens here at the damn sometimes it’s hard...the Olympics is no wins in London and Rio. Olympics Games... with the year that it’s been, joke!” If Biles is unable to continue in Tokyo, it With Biles watching on, the Americans I’m really not surprised the way it played out.” would mark a stunning turn of events at a approached the concluding floor exercise less who under the Soviet era dominated this event 164.096. Led by Angelina Melnikova, the A statement from USA Gymnastics said earlier Games she had been strongly expected to than a point behind the Russians. But when from 1952 to 1980 winning eight straight Russians emulated their men’s team who won that Biles was suffering from an unspecified dominate. She had been bidding to become the Jordan Chiles failed to win the judges’ approval Olympic titles, prevailed with a total of 169.528. gold 24 hours earlier - the first time in Olympic “medical issue” and would now face daily first woman in more than half a century to with her performance it was all over. , The US scored on 166.096 and Britain had history one country has won both titles. —AFP

her eight-week hiatus, Osaka made a dreadful start under Osaka says painful the center court roof at a rain-hit Ariake Tennis Park and home Olympic never recovered. Duplantis aims to ‘Pressure’ She dropped serve five times against the 42nd-ranked deliver on Olympic defeat ‘sucks’ Vondrousova, who will face Spain’s Paula Badosa in the quarter-finals. “I’ve taken long breaks before and I’ve man- aged to do well,” Osaka said. “I’m not saying that I did bad ‘childhood dream’ TOKYO: Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka conceded the right now, but I do know that my expectations were a lot pressure of trying to win an Olympic gold at home was a “bit higher. I feel like my attitude wasn’t that great because I TOKYO: Armand Duplantis has firmly established himself much” after a 6-1, 6-4 defeat to Marketa Vondrousova end- don’t really know how to cope with that pressure so that’s as one of the stars of track and field and is adamant noth- ed her title dreams yesterday. the best that I could have done in this situation.” ing will stand in his way when he takes to the pole vault Osaka, who lit the Olympic cauldron and was one of the Vondrousova, the 2019 French Open runner-up, called it runway at the Tokyo Olympics. It is easy to forget that the faces of the Games, struggled in an error-strewn display that “one of the biggest wins of my career”. Ukrainian fourth Swede, who describes being at the Olympics as a “child- blew the draw wide open after the earlier exits of world seed Elina Svitolina, the highest-ranked women’s player left hood dream”, is still just 21, after a career-changing year number one Ashleigh Barty and third seed Aryna Sabalenka. in the competition, recovered to defeat Greece’s Maria in which he has re-written the record books. “How disappointed am I? I mean, I’m disappointed in Sakkari 5-7, 6-3, 6-4. In 2020, despite a season ravaged by the COVID-19 every loss, but I feel like this one sucks more than the oth- Wimbledon runner-up Karolina Pliskova, seeded fifth, pandemic, Duplantis set a sensational world record of ers,” said the four-time Grand Slam winner. Asked what went slumped to a 6-4, 6-2 loss to ’s Camila Giorgi. There 6.18m indoors before vaulting 6.15m outdoors, finally wrong, she replied: “Everything — if you watch the match were also third-round wins for Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic eclipsing the 1994 mark set by all-time great Sergey then you would probably see. I feel like there’s a lot of things and Garbine Muguruza while Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova Bubka. Heading to Japan, Duplantis says he feels in good that I counted on that I couldn’t rely on today.” ended the run of Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo, who dumped shape, though he concedes a new world record would be The third-round defeat follows a turbulent few months Barty out in round one. secondary to winning. “I don’t have any complaint, I feel for Osaka, who abandoned her French Open campaign in Earlier, men’s third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas advanced to I’m in the position I wanted to be, the shape is coming May after refusing to attend press conferences, citing the the third round as he avenged last month’s Wimbledon loss nicely,” said the vaulter known as “Mondo”. “I’m ready to need to preserve her mental health. to Frances Tiafoe, winning 6-3, 6-4. Kei Nishikori will now go and do what I want to do.” Osaka also skipped Wimbledon, saying she had been single-handedly take on the challenge of becoming Japan’s One would have expected the 68,000-capacity battling depression and anxiety, before returning in Tokyo first Olympic tennis champion after Osaka’s exit. The 2016 Olympic stadium to have been filled to the brim for the for her first Olympics, including her starring role at the bronze medalist overcame a second-set wobble to defeat athletics, but fans have been banned as part of Japan’s opening ceremony. But ultimately the sky-high expectations American Marcos Giron 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 6-1. Former world fight against coronavirus. “It’s unfortunate. Of course I’d placed on the world’s highest-paid female athlete proved number four Nishikori could be a quarter-final opponent for TOKYO: Japan’s Naomi Osaka leaves the court after love a packed stadium, that would be more exciting, but it tough to handle. Novak Djokovic, who resumes his quest for gold against being beaten by Czech Republic’s Marketa is what it is,” said Duplantis, who divides his time between “I definitely feel like there was a lot of pressure for this. Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina today. Britain’s Liam Vondrousova in their Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and Louisiana in the United States. “I had a while I think it’s maybe because I haven’t played in the Olympics Broady upset Polish seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz 7-5, 3-6, women’s singles third round tennis match at the year last year with no crowd, so I am starting to get used before and for the first year (it) was a bit much,” said 6-3. He will meet Frenchman Jeremy Chardy, who beat 11th- Ariake Tennis Park in Tokyo yesterday. —AFP to it in a way. It’s not going to be something completely Osaka. After looking assured in the first two rounds after seeded Aslan Karatsev in three sets. —AFP new to me or the other guys.”

All eyes on victory “She’s the first person I remember,” Thomas icy. She is now pursuing a Masters in epidemiolo- Duplantis was born in the United States to American Thomas seeks to says. “I remember sitting at my granny’s house and gy at the University of Texas in Austin, where she father and coach Greg — himself a former pole vaulter my mom told me to turn on the TV because she trains under Tonja Buford-Bailey, the 1996 who cleared 5.80m — and Swedish heptathlete mother follow in Felix’s saw someone who reminded her of me — Allyson Olympics 400m hurdles bronze medalist. Helena. He was vaccinated against COVID-19 while train- Felix. That’s the person that’s been at the back of Buford-Bailey’s so-called “Bailey Bunch” is one of ing in the States. footsteps in 200m tilt my mind for so many years. Her humility, her grace, the few training groups in the United States run by a He said he only had one objective in Tokyo — and and how good she is at what she does. She’s really Black woman. “A training group of all Black women improving his record came a distant second. “Winning is who are all so inspirational and driven and motivated the one that has been inspiring.” the only goal really,” he said. “In a dream world I would TOKYO: Gabby Thomas is out to emulate child- and succeeding, it’s very empowering,” Thomas said. Thomas’s power and speed over the 200m has like to go and break the world record and do something hood hero and now team-mate Allyson Felix as “We all have experienced similar struggles. It’s just very legendary at the Games. But it’s my first Games, I she targets gold for the United States at the left some wondering whether Griffith Joyner’s really nice to have that support system.” just want to win, that’s the only thing on my mind.” Tokyo Olympics. The 24-year-old Harvard-edu- long-standing record may be within her grasp. Thomas says athletics has been a crucial outlet Duplantis faces stiff competition from American Sam cated sprinter starts as favorite for the 200 With her victory at the US trials last month, during her academic career. “Being in school really Kendricks, the defending two-time world champion and meters title after a dazzling season in which she Thomas raised her arms in celebration well before makes me appreciate what I’m doing on the track,” has become the second fastest woman in history bronze medalist in Rio, and ’s Renaud Lavillenie, the finish line, suggesting she is capable of edging she said. “Being able to compartmentalize two dif- over the distance. the 2012 Olympic gold medallist who won silver four closer to Flo-Jo’s 33-year-old mark. Thomas is ferent things that I love doing really makes you Only the late Florence Griffith Joyner — whose years later. Lavillenie, Duplantis admitted, had been one cautious about whether she thinks a world record appreciate the time when you’re doing it. When I world record of 21.34sec from the drug-tarnished of his childhood heroes. “I was a huge fan of Renaud,” he is achievable. “I don’t want to say ‘no’,” she said. finish my schoolwork and finish class and go to the 1988 Olympics remains intact — has ever run a said. “Just to be in the situation that I’m now able to com- “But I don’t want to put a limit on myself. So I’m track, it’s my time to be free and let loose and love pete against him, learned a little bit from him. It’s a really faster time in the event. Thomas, who stormed to victory in a world-leading 21.61sec at the US not going to say it’s unattainable.” what I’m doing. I think (studying) helped and moti- cool thing, especially from a guy like that.” Their contact, vated me with track.” he added, went “from idol, competitor, to friend, to every- Olympic Trials in Oregon last month, is now poised Juggling college and track Thomas also spends time working as a volun- thing in between”. “He’s a big brother, a mentor, a friend, I to follow in the footsteps of Felix, the most decorat- Thomas failed to make the US team for the 2016 teer at a free healthcare clinic in Austin that aims look at him a way very similar I look at my two older ed female Olympian in track and field history. Olympics, when as a 19-year-old she admits she to provide medical services for the city’s unin- brothers for sure.” —AFP Thomas describes Felix, the 2012 200m champion, who is competing in her fifth and final Olympics in was still learning her craft while juggling the rigors sured and working poor, an extension of her pas- Tokyo, as her “inspiration.” of a degree in neurobiology and global health pol- sion for epidemiology. —AFP ‘Sensible’ to review Moroccan boxer tries marijuana status after to bite opponent in Richardson ban: Coe Tokyo Olympics defeat TOKYO: World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe yesterday backed calls to review the status of marijuana on the list TOKYO: Moroccan heavyweight boxer Youness of sport’s banned substances following the suspension Baalla attempted to bite David Nyika’s ear during of US sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson. Speaking to news his defeat to the New Zealander at the Tokyo agency journalists in Tokyo at the Olympic Games, Coe Olympics yesterday. The 22-year-old was subse- said it was “sensible” to look at the question of whether quently disqualified for unsportsmanlike behavior, marijuana should remain on the World Anti-Doping although he was already out of the Games anyway Agency’s prohibited list. following his unanimous-points loss in the round- Rising sprint star Richardson was expected to be one of-16 bout. of the faces of the Tokyo Games after a series of blister- A Tokyo 2020 statement called Baalla’s actions ing 100m displays earlier this season. However the 21- “intolerable”, saying that he “very clearly intended year-old was ruled out of the Games earlier this month to bite the ear/face of his opponent in the third after being handed a 30-day suspension following a round of the bout”. Footage shows Baalla trying to positive test for marijuana in the wake of her 100m vic- bite Nyika’s right ear as the two boxers hold each tory at the US Olympic trials in Eugene in June. other. Her case triggered debate about marijuana’s contin- Nyika, a two-time Commonwealth Games gold ued inclusion on WADA’s banned list, with celebrities and fellow athletes criticizing the rule as outdated and medalist who has already fought as a professional, unnecessary. Coe said yesterday he agreed with calls to said: “He didn’t get a full mouthful. “Luckily he had his mouthguard in and I was a bit sweaty. “I was review marijuana’s status. “It think it’s not an unreason- TOKYO: Morocco’s Youness Baalla (red) and New Zealand’s David Nyika fight during their men’s heavy (81- bitten on the chest at the Gold Coast able moment to have a review,” he said. “It’s sensible — 91kg) preliminaries round of 16 boxing match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Kokugikan Arena in nothing is set in stone. You adapt and occasionally Commonwealth Games (2018), but come on man, Tokyo yesterday. —AFP reassess.” —AFP this is the Olympics.” —AFP